Yellowstone, Shoshone Lake, Lewis River quesiton

[Pringles]

I know that at least some of you have gone from Lewis Lake to Shoshone Lake. I'm planning on making hiking reservations for this summer, or at least trying for reservations, to the site near the point where the river leaves Shoshone Lake. I am wondering about hiking in a packraft, and on the way out, inflating it and floating instead of hiking. I've heard that the bottom is made of sharp rocks... for those who have been there before, are they the sneaky kind that reach up and impale inflatables? Also, the trail leaves the river at some point to return to the woods--and my car. How visible might a takeout be? I don't even want to think about going on Lewis Lake with my inflatable. Thanks for any information. Pringles

 

[dogbrain]

Pringles - The Lewis channel isn't much of a river. It's only flowing water for maybe a mile or so. I personally wouldn't bother with a packraft there since you can walk along the shore most of the way anyway. The trail back to the parking lot is right where the channel opens up onto Lewis Lake. The rocks are volcanic and aren't your typical rounded river rocks since the channel doesn't see the kinds of flows that tumble them downstream. Some rocks are multicolored with lots of plastic and aluminum decorating them. If the water is high you can probably maneuver around the rocks, but at low water you'll hit some of them. Be ready to jump out.

The USGS map shows everything you want to know.
https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=44.33776,-110.6375&z=14&b=t

Mark

 

[Chip]

I agree with DB that the Lewis River isn't worth the trouble of packing in an inflatable. I remember floating down there sitting astride my kayak so I could fend off rocks with my feet. I'm not sure the level when I was there in July, but most of it was floatable. There was maybe a half mile at the top (Shoshone) end where it was rock bashing territory. The river is so short I don't think it worth packing-in, inflating, and re-stowing an inflatable.

Those are nice sites up on Shoshone.

 

[Pringles]

Thank you for all the information. I won't plan on boating, based on your information. I will probably carry my little inflatable, though and hope to play a little at the campsite. There's nothing so fun as messing around in boats.

 

[Black_Fly]

That trip by water is very dependent on seasonal water levels, as well as wind, which builds by the hour as the sun rises in the sky. You have to hit the big water strategically to have a chance.

 

[Dan Cooke]

Was there in Early September 2018 and it was an easy Float down. The water level was such it was an easy walk up and an easy float down. I was in a Wildfire and there were two sea Kayaks and a Savage River Deep Creek. Barely a tickle from rocks that were more smooth than sharp. There was some color on some rocks from hulls hitting the bottom. They were easy to miss if you paid attention. There is very little current in 1/2 the length of the channel. I would not bother carrying a pack raft to gain so little from the current section.

 

[Pringles]

I did my hike over Labor Day weekend, and spent two nights at the site by the backcountry ranger cabin. I didn’t carry in a boat. I spent almost twenty nights in the backcountry this year, between water sites and hiker sites, and when my mind drifts to memories of trips, I have found that the view from the shore or the kitchen area of that site has been the number one spot my mind pulls up. Not the Tetons, not the 200 foot waterfall, but the view from the shore of the lake. Number two is the view from the kitchen area of a major divide, overlooking a big, beautiful meadow. I can hardly wait for summer to come again, so I can explore new places. I’ve been making plans for the Bechler region and the Snake River area, the Thorofare, and Pebble Creek. I may plan on a couple of nights in the Tetons, too. I may even get a night or two in the Boundary Waters or on the Superior Hiking Trail. Geese. Is it summer yet?

 

[Dan Cooke]

I had the good fortune to stay at 4 different sites on Shoshone during my canoeing in Yellowstone. We walked from the narrows campsite to the ranger cabin. The geyser basin is nice and has a more intimate feeling than the popular geyser basins. The 10 days prior I horse packed from the east shore of Yellowstone Lake to the south boundary then took the Two Ocean Plateau back north to Yellowstone Lake then west to Heart Lake where it snowed our last night, then out to the trail head. Then it was off to paddle the Yellowstone river from the Paradise KOA to Billings. The amount and scale of swifts/ rapids was more than what was anticipated. I would like to more paddling out west.

 

[Pringles]

That sounds like a great trail. I’ve hiked from Lonestar to the campsite on the lake, by the geyser basin, then did the geyser basin as a day hike, then out at Lonestar again. This year I did Lonestar to the top of the Bechler River. I’m hoping to get a permit to go around Shoshone this coming summer, and a weekend hike to Heart Lake. We’ll see how rewarding permit season is. The circling of Shoshone Lake was because I kept thinking back to how beautiful that campsite was. It reminded me of my time on Lake Superior.

Are you near the Boundary Waters in MN?

 

[Dan Cooke]

Used to live on the Gunflint Trail. Live in Suburbia Mpls at the moment. Bechler River is intriguing to me, would like to see MR Bubbles. I also need to complete a winter crossing from Canyons to Firehole basin on the Nez Pierce trail. Tried it once but 4' of unconsolidated snow made it impossible.

 

[Pringles]

I don’t envy the Minneapolis part, but the Gunflint sounds nice. I was there a couple of years ago, and thought it beautiful. I used to live at the other end of the big lake. Now I live near Yellowstone. I’m preparing my reservation applications for next summer. I had a site near Mr. Bubbles last year. We opted to go for a day hike instead. We were at a beautiful site, though... the one with Albright Falls roaring by the kitchen. This year I’m hoping for Dunanda and Union Falls, and on different trips, a trip around Shoshone Lake, and one across Hellroaring. The winter traverse sounds pretty intimidating to me. I haven’t gone 10 feet on the Mary Mountain Trail in the summer, let alone the winter. I miss hiking season already.

 

[dogbrain]

Hey Pringles, make sure you get the Dunanda campsite closest to the falls. It's a really nice spot with nearby views of the Tetons. There are some nice hot spring pools for soaking just upstream near the base of the falls. If you spend 2 night there, it's a beautiful hike upstream along the boundary trail for a day hike. The same with Union Falls area. Spend 2 nights there and do a day hike up the north fork of Mountain Ash Creek to see some really nice falls and hot springs. As you get 3 or 4 kilometers the stream is nice and warm for soaking. Watch out for poison ivy though. You can cut cross-country to the southeast to get you back to Mountain Ash creek and back down to Union Falls to make it a loop. The forest is nice and open all around that area, so off trail hiking is easy.

I wouldn't ski the Mary Mountain trail. It's pretty much a full on Bison highway. I've done a couple of thru skis from Old Faithful to Ashland, Idaho and Old Faithful to the south gate via Shoshone Lk, Heart Lk, and Snake River. Lots and lots of snow in those areas. In 1991 the snow was 4-meters deep at Mr Bubble! We camped there 4 nights.

Pringles are you hiking or paddling Shoshone? If hiking, the site 8M2 is one of my favorites in the park. Beautiful meadows upstream on Moose Creek. You used to be able to get it for multiple nights, but I think they changed that and now you can only get it for 1 night. Too bad. 8S4 is one of my favorite sites on Shoshone Lake but for paddlers only.

Mark

 

[Pringles]

Dogbrain, thanks for the suggestion on the campsite. I’ll go take a look at the itinerary I prepared, and I’ll do 8M2 if I can. I’m putting in for one night at Dunanda, but if I get it, it’ll be preceded by a short day from a site in the meadows, and followed by a short day to a different site in the meadows. I’m hoping for two nights at Union Falls. Today at lunch, I was looking at online pictures of the hike to Heart Lake. While I’d read the guidebook information, the pictures were startlingly beautiful. I went back to work after lunch nearly giddy with the idea that I could potentially hike there. Dang, it was beatutiful. I’m also putting in for reservations from Blacktail Plateau to Tower, via the Black Canyon and Hellroaring. There’s another site I’m putting in for, and darned if I can remember where it is, just now. I look at those pictures and I’m giddy and thankful. There are so many opportunities. I’m also trying to decide if I want to try to get a few nights on Leigh Lake again. Paddling in and out were fine, but the mornings that I got up and the lake was glassy and I decided to eat breakfast after a little (4 hour) paddle—those were wonderful mornings. And evenings. And the afternoons had nice naps. Is it summer yet?

 

[Holmes375]

Heart Lake is sweet. If memory serves, it was the first area to have established back country camp sites. I worked on them as a youngster many decades ago with the scouting program. I've hiked into it from the Yellowstone lake back country a couple times over the years. If you're into natural setting geyser basins, the Heart lake basin is second only to the Shoshone geyser basin. I love 'em and enjoy just wandering about observing the strangeness of it all.

Here's a good link to feature locations there:

 

[Pringles]

Thank you for the link Holmes. And thanks for your work on the campsites. I’ve done so many hikes in Yellowstone where I’m going to some campsite, and am surprised to stumble through some thermal area. For a few weeks, I had been thinking of one campsite as being so-so, when I realized that the hike had been fantastic. There were mud pots and hot springs along the trail, a 200 foot high waterfall and then a couple of geysers. Yeah. Definitely a class B site.
I’m headed toward New Mexico for my school’s spring break. Maybe that site will list someplace that I could do a quick overnight backpack. It looks interesting.

 

[Pringles]

Holmes, I'm (at lunch) looking at the link about Heart Lake on that website. Wow. Now I want to go there more than ever. And if I get that trip around Shoshone, I'll get to the Shoshone Geyser Basin for the second time. That site has such incredible pictures.

 

[Dan Cooke]

Short video and clip of Heart Lake from late august this year that I took.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2384599388222722&set=pcb.2384600478222613&type=3&theater

 

[Dan Cooke]

Shoshone - Lewis Lake this September

 

[ppine]

Yellowstone Lake is the big one. My OT Guide came with a sticker under the forward deck that reads. "Yellowstone Boating Permit 1968."